Film splicing apparatus and process



Feb. 28, 1967 D. RYAN 3,306,546

FILM SPLICING APPARATUS AND PROCESS F'iled Nov. 4, 1964 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DA NA H EY RYA N Feb. 28, 1967 D. RYAN FILM SPLICING APPARATUS AND PROCESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1964 INVENTOR DAN AHEY RYAN BY d ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 D. RYAN FILM SPLICING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed Nov;

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ATTORNEY United States Patent corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 408,953 8 Claims. (CI. 24258.2)

This invention relates to the processing of web material. More particularly it relates to the continuous preparation of web material from large production rolls to smaller commercially desirable web rolls.

The prior art dis-closes various means for continually reducing a long roll of web to shorter rolls; however, these devices are constructed to deliver the correct amount of web to a new roll regardless of the fact that an imperfection such as a splice joint occurs in a particular segment of the roll. This can cause a great waste of web by allowing a new roll to be wound containing the imperfection. Additional problems occur when the web being processed is a photographic film. The process must be continuous and automatic since it must occur in complete darkness.

It is an object of this invention to provide an integrated apparatus for continuously unwinding web from a supply roll and rewinding the web into a plurality of smaller rolls of uniform quality web of preselected size. Another object is to provide a novel control system to govern the interrelated operation of a web processing apparatus. A further object is to provide a system where web imperfections are removed and a new rewind roll is initiated after each web imperfection removal. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

These and other objects are accomplished by the invention described in the following discussion, drawing and appended claims.

FIGURES 1A and 1B are isometric views of :a cine film processing machine.

FIGURES 2A and 2B are schematic drawings of the control mechanism for the machine in FIGURES 1A and 1B.

Referring to FIGURES 1A and 1B, the unwind unit is at the left end of the integrated machine; as depicted here, spindle assembly 12b carries a full film roll and 12a carries a near depleted film roll. The web 10 from the lower roll located on 12a is shown threaded through the machine and is in running condition; the web 11 from the upper roll is shown partially threaded and is in stand-by condition. The unwind device is fully disclosed and described in the assignees copending US. application S.N. 299,244, filed August 1, 1963, now US. Patent 3,120,057, and described hereinafter.

Immediately to the right of the unwind unit and supported on the same machine frame is a means for splicing the web. This splicing means is generally capable of joining a web in an end-to-end relationship, using pressure-sensitive tape, in a precise fashion with or without web overlap. The splicer is further adapted to receive a manually applied leading end of a new web roll and to hold that leading end in readiness for performing a fully automatic splice operation and to carry out the splice operation upon being energized by a signal initiated by the fall of dancer roll 15. In the preferred embodiment of the web processing machine, a wiper roll splicer is employed; this splicer is fully described in the assignees pending US. application S.N. 167,583, filed January 22, 1962, now US. Patent 3,227,594.

The wiper roll splicer is comprised basically of a rotatable member 21, situated above a splicing surface 22 which has a right section and left section divided by groove 23 and each being adapted to hold a web end by means of vacuum applied to passages and holes in the 3,306,546 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 2 splicing surface. The groove 23 of the splicing surface is adapted to receive a circular knife (not shown) which severs the stationary trailing end of an expiring web as will be described in greater detail below.

The wiper roll splicer is driven by a two-step motor 24 Which, in the course of a given splicing operation, turns its drive shaft through one clockwise revolution; the motor 24 also drives an eccentric roll 25. The eccentric roll 25 is poised above a new web end of Web 11, which new web end is manually strung to the rotatable member 21; the function of the eccentric roll 25, upon being rotated 180 (by the motor 24) is to urge the new web end downward into proximity to the left section of the splicing surface 22 so that the new web end may be attracted and held on the splicing surface by means of vacuum so as to be secured firmly throughout the remaining operations of a splice cycle. Motor 24 is driven in two dis crete intervals. The first causes its shaft to rotate 180 and then when web 11 is held on the left platen, the motor is actuated to complete its full rotation.

Separate vacuum gage type switches (not shown), defeet the existence of a high degree of vacuum on the left and right splicing surfaces, i.e., the vacuum switches detect whether a web is being held on the splicing surface. Any slack in the web is taken up by roll 25 when it is rotated. The vacuum is automatically turned off by a switch triggered when rotatable member 21 is in its normal pre-slice position. The web is thereby released for forward movement.

As the web continues from the splicer as shown in FIG- URE 1A, the web may be perforated by a rotary perforator such as the type taught in US. Patent 2,963,932; the details will not be given here save to explain details of power transmission or drive and details concerned with transport of a web through the perforating device. If no perforator is needed it may be omitted and a separate drive motor can be employed to drive the other major components of the apparatus.

It will be seen that a drive motor 26 having a double extended shaft is adapted to drive not only the rotary perforator 27 but many of the major parts of the cine finishing machine except for the unwind and rewind units. The motor drives the entire rotary perforator assembly through the pulley and belt drive operated from pulley 28.

In close proximity to the rotary perforator 27 is a pair of motor driven web tension rolls 29-30 and a pair of idler rolls 31-32. On the side at which the web 10 enters this section, a motor 33 is used to drive web tension roll 29; a similar drive is situated on the right, where a motor 34 is adapted to drive web tension roll 30.

The drive motor 26 carries a pulley 35 which drives a belt 36 which, in turn, drives a pulley 37 on the shaft 38 of a miter gear box 39; the gear box is secured to the machine frame (not shown). The shaft 38 is extended outside the gear box 39 to the rear of the machine and carries a pulley which, in turn, drives horizontal shaft 40. Shaft 40 carries a disc 41 which has two spaced arcuate slots 42. Aligned with the slots is a light source 43 and, on the opposite side of the disc, a light sensitive cell 44; this assembly is adapted to count the number of revolutions made by the perforator, each pulse representing about one lineal foot of web. This intelligence is used as described below.

Returning to the miter gear box 39 a second shaft 45, at right angles to shaft 38, can be seen. Shaft 45 is adapted to be coupled to other shafts which drive several units including a cutter unit.

To the rear of the cutter assembly on the jackshaft 46 is a coupling 47, which is connected to a shaft 48. Shaft 48 carries a pulley which is driven from a second miter gear box 49 by means of a pulley and a belt; the miter gear box 49 is driven by shaft 45 from the main drive motor 26 through \miter gear box 39.

At the extreme rear end of the shaft 48 is a coupling which joins the shaft to a commercial revolution counter 51 which is described below.

The operation of the web finishing apparatus is controlled electrically by two principal devices; an electronic counter 52 and a revolution counter 51.

Electronic counter 52 is manufactured by Veeder-Root, Inc., and is called a predetermining counter, series 1804, Model R; it is adapted to be driven by discrete electrical pulses from a source outside the counter and to totalize the pulses in reverse by counting down. Then, upon reaching any desired number of pulses, it is adapted to produce an output signal or to close a set of contacts which may be connected so as to energize some outside device such as a motor or relay, etc.

Dials are provided for units, tens, hundreds and thousands for manually setting the desired number of pulses to be counted. The electronic counter is also adapted to produce a separate output signal at a count of 20 pulses in advance of the desired number or the number set on the dials; for example, if the dials are set for a count of 100, electronic counter 52 will produce an output at a count of 80 pulses, then it will produce a second output (in a circuit which is independent of the first output) at a count of 100 pulses. For convenience, the first count is called pre-count and the second or dial-set count is called count-out.

In this apparatus, the electronic counter 52 is driven electrically by pulses from the combination comprising the light source 43, light sensitive cell 44, and the rotatable slotted disc 41 as previously depicted and de scribed above. As noted, when the disc 41 makes one revolution, the machine will have passed two feet of web; however, since two slots are provided in the disc, each pulse from the light sensitive cell represents one foot of the web. The electronic counter is used to preset the number of feet of web to be wound on each package at the output end of the finishing apparatus, though this counter is not the only device which determines length of web in a package. The fashion in which the counter controls the machine will be described below. The electronic counter is automatically reset (by means not shown) to start a new count each time the web is started on an empty rewind core.

The revolution counter 51 is a commercial device manufactured by the Eagle Signal Company, Moline, Ill., and is known as an HZ series Microfiex Revolution Counter. It is adapted to be driven by a rotating shaft and will count the number of revolutions of the shaft up to a predetermined number which is manually p1e set on a dial on the face of the device. Upon reaching the pre-set count, the revolution counter will actuate a switch. The fashion in which counter 51 operates will be described. This counter is equipped with a solenoid CR3 which operates a clutch on the input shaft so that the device will not begin to make a count until the solenoid is energized from an external source (i.e., a signal from the splicer). As may be seen in FIGURE 1B, the shaft of counter 51 is connected to the shaft 48 which is a part of the main drive of the web processing machine as described above; one revolution of the shaft 48 and of the counter 51 represents the passage of one foot of web.

The cutter assembly 100 can be initiated by either the electronic counter 52 which will trigger a web out upon passage of the desired amount of web or it can be initiated by the revolution counter 51. The revolution counter initiates the cutter to remove splice joints. Thus the solenoid CR-3 of counter 51 receives a signal when a splice is made and causes an extension of shaft 48 to rotate in the counter 51. The counter then counts the preselected number of feet the splice must travel before it reaches the cutter assembly 100. At this point the cutter is initiated by counter 51 and the web is cut just before the splice joint. The counter 51 also initiates a brief time delay device 83 which in turn initiates the cutter for a second time thereby cutting the web after the splice joint.

The preferred cutting device is described and fully disclosed in the assignees US. application S.N. 320,419 filed October 31, 1963 now US. Patent 3,272,043. This device is basically disclosed in FIGURE 13. The cutter is a rotary device and will only rotate once when initiated through clutch 53 to be rotated by shaft 46. Movement of one-half of the cutter 56 will cause the other half 57 to rotate due to the action of gears 54 and 55. A cam 56 and switch follower located on the drive shaft of cutter half 57 will de-energize clutch 53 after one rotation.

Located before the cutter wheels 56 and 57 are normally separated entrance nip rolls 59 and 58. The web normally passes over roll 59 which is powered by torque motor 66. Located after the cutter wheels are exit nip rolls 61 and 62 which are normally separated. Also located after the cutter rolls are air jets 63, 64 and 65 operating from valve 67 and air jet 66 operating from valve 68.

When the cutter is triggered by electronic counter 52, roll 61 contacts roll 62 and a stream of air flows from jets 63, 64 and 65 by actuation of valve 67. The leading edge of the cut web is propelled by the cutter rolls and carried on the air stream from jet 63 to engage the nip between rolls 61 and 62. It is then passed from the rolls 61 and 62 and directed by air streams from jets 64 and 65 to a rewind core 70' whereupon a signal is transmitted from the time delay relay 86 to stop the air flow through valve 67 and separate rolls 61 and 62 when the web is wound around the rewind core.

Initiation of the cutter by rotation counter 51 results in the removal of a web portion (i.e., splice) before the web is passed to the rewind core. Upon triggering the cutter by counter 51, the following few events simultaneously occur. First, the roll 58 is made to contact roll 59 to positively hold the passing web. Second, clutch 53 is actuated for a web cut. Thirdly, valve 68 is opened to pass an air stream through jet 66 which will force the cut web joint downward from the cutter; and fourth, a short time delay device 83 is triggered. The cutter is de-energized after one revolution by ca m 5t) and valve 68 is also de-energized at this time. A signal from the time delay device 83 energizes the cutter rolls, valve 67 and rolls 61 and 62 in the same manner as a signal from the electronic counter 52 as discussed above. Upon cinching of the web leading edge on a rewind core after splice joint removal, rolls 59 and 58 are separated as well as rolls 61 and 62, and valve 67 is turned off.

The rewind unit is a multi-core unit and is preferably the rewind unit described in the assignees US. patent application S.N. 342,661 filed February 5, 1964, now US. Patent 3,228,621. The rewind unit has a rotatable turret 69 with four independent web core mounts 70. The turret is rotated by a motor 71 and held in posit-ion by a dog '72, dog position switch 81 and collar 82. Each core mount has its drive motor 73 and related drive system (shown in FIG. IE only for core receiving the web).

The web is passed from the cutter to a core 70 in the nine oclock position. There the web is started around the core and then the turret 69 is rotated clockwise through approximately The core which has just received the web is now in the twelve oclock position where the core is completely wound with web. This arrangement always allows an empty core to be in the nine oclock receiving position.

The rewind unit reacts to two independent triggering signals. One signal can come from the revolution counter 51 and the other signal can come from the electronic counter 52. Either signal will cause the rewind unit to respond in a similar fashion.

When the turret 69 is locked in position, an empty core is in the web receiving position. The core motor is driving the core at low speed due to the actuation of switch 74. The receiving core is surrounded by a web guide chute 75. The chute 75 is operated by an air piston 76 which normally holds the chute around the core. The piston is actuated by a signal from switch 81 at the same time that dog 72 is removed from the collar thereby removing the guide chute from around the core during turret rotation until switch 81 signals that said turret is locked again.

The core spindles 78 for each core are hollow and the core in the receiving position is connected to a vacuum pump through valve 77. The vacuum connection is arranged to be connected with the spindle when the turret is locked in place by dog 72. When the turret is rotated, air piston 79 disconnects the vacuum line from the spindle and remains disconnected until the dog 72 is again locked into the collar. The movement of airpiston 79 is also controlled by switch 81.

As the dog 72 is removed from the collar in response to a signal from the time delay relay 86, the turret motor 71 starts to rotate the turret. A micro switch 80 turns olf the turret motor before the turret rotates 90 degrees and the turrets momentum carries it into positon where the dog 72 slides into the next'notch in the collar.

The unwind device has two posit-ons for carrying large web reels: on spindles 12a and 12b. One reel on spindle 12a being unwound and the other on reel 12b in standby. The apparatus unwinds until dancer roll 15 drops at which time drive motor 26 stops by receiving a signal from end of roll cam switch 16. The sequence of events involving splicing and unwind turret rotation are best understood by following the diagram in FIGURES 2A and B. The drop of dancer arm 15 actuates switch 16 which initiates the splicer action and simultaneously applies the brake of the clutch-brake assembly of spindle 12a (not shown but identical to 19) and stops motor 26. Then vacuum is applied to the right half of splicer surface 22 to hold the expiring web and the web is trimmed by a knife blade (not shown) passing along groove 23. Roll 21 begins to rotate in its first increment of 180 while carrying the new web 11 taped to its surface. Simultaneously roll 25 forces the new web 11 onto the left side of the splicing surface where it is held on the surface by a vacuum. Rolls 21 and 25 are coordinated so that the leading edge of new web 11 is held by vacuum and immediately taped to the expired Web by the rotation of roll 25 through its second increment of 180 movement. The vacuum on both sides of the splicing surface next is turned olf by a switch as soon as roll 21 returns to its pre-splice position and motor 26 and splice counter 51 are simultaneously reactivated.

During the splice when the knife cuts the expirng web 10, a turret motor (not shown) on turret spindle 18 starts and the turret is unlocked to allow the turret to rotate approximately 180. As soon as the turret is unlocked, a switch operates clutch-brake 19 to operably engage motor 20 with spindle 1217. As the turret rotates, switch 9 is tripped to stop the turret motor and the turret proceeds under its rotational momentum until the turret lock falls into place. A commercially avail able stepping switch can be used to coordinate the interrelated sequence operation of the splicer and the unwind turret.

The supply reels attached to the unwind device are often quite large containing several thousand feet of film.

Under normal circumstances the film is rewound on a core until the desired amount of film is counted on electronic counter 52. Then the film is cut and a new rewind core is started.

As the end of a supply roll is approached, switch 14 signals when 100 ft. remains on the supply roll by means of arm 13. This signal passes through a priority relay 84 to a blocking relay 85 which later serves to block the 6 count-out signal from the electronic counter 52 during the unwinding of the last to 100 ft. of web from the supply roll.

As discussed earlier, electronic counter 52 sends a precount signal equivalent to 20 feet before the actual countout signal. If the pre-count signal arrives at relay 84 before a signal from switch 14, relay 85 will not block the count-out signal from counter 52 and the rewind core .will contain the correct footage of film. If the blocking signal from switch 14 reaches relay 85 via relay 84 before the pre-count signal, the count-out signal from counter 52 Will be blocked. The effect of this action will be to make the particular winding core being rewound slightly longer than it normally should be to take the small amount of film footage remaining on the expiring film supply roll.

The splice counter used in the above discussion can be replaced by a web defect detector which will cause all defects as well as splice joints to be removed from the passing web. The defect detector would naturally be located in a position before the cutter. The preferred defect detector is described in the assignces US. patent application S.N. 364,152 filed May 1, 1964.

In several instances in the foregoing dis-closure reference is made to certain of the assignees US. patent applications. These disclosures are omitted from the present specification only for the sake of brevity but they are intended as part of this disclosure as incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for processing web material having web feed means for providing successive web feed rolls, splicing means, means for driving said web, rewind length regulating signal means, defect detector means for signalling the occurrence of web defects, web cutting means and rewind means, the improvement of a control system which comprises (A) means for issuing a standby signal for the near depletion of an unwinding web roll; (B) means for signalling the depletion of said roll; (C) splice actuating means responsive to said depletion signal causing the new web to be spliced to the web from said depleted roll; (D) monitoring means for receiving both said standby signal and a signal from said length regulating means and only allowing said length regulating means signal to pass when it reaches said monitor before said standby signal; (E) web cutter actuating means capable of being triggered by signals from said defect detector and monitoring means which ever signal occurs first; and, (F) rewind actuating means responsive to said signals from said defect detector and said monitoring means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 where said near depletion signal decelerates said web drive means.

3. A control system for an apparatus for processing web material having a turret unwind means for providing successive feed rolls of web, splicing means, means for propelling said web, defect detector means for signalling the occurrence of web defects, web length regulating signal means, web cutting means and turret rewind means said system comprising standby signal means for signalling when a pro-selected amount of web remains on the unwinding feed roll; means for signalling the depletion of said web from said unwinding feed roll to initiate said splicer; an unwind turret motor for rotating said unwind turret when actuated by a signal from said splicer; monitoring means for receiving both said standby signal and a signal from said length regulating means and only allowing said length regulating means signal to pass when it reaches said monitoring means before said standby signal; cutter actuating means capable of being triggered by a signal from said detector means and said signal passing through said monitoring means which ever signal occurs first, and a rewind turret motor for positioning said rewind turret after said web is being rewound on a rewind turret member.

4. A control system for an apparatus for processing web material having a turret unwind means for providing successive feed rolls of web, splicing means, means for propelling said web, splice joint detector means for signalling the passage of a splice joint, web length regulating signal means, web cutting means and turret rewind means having individual rewind web cores said system comprising standby signal means for signalling when a pre-selected amount of web remains on the unwind feed roll to decelerate said propelling means; means for signalling the depletion of said web from said unwinding feed roll to halt said propelling means and initiate said splicing means; an unwind turret motor for rotating said unwind turret when actuated by a signal from said splicer; means for signalling the completion of said splice to restart said web propelling means; monitoring means for receiving both said standby signal and a signal from said length signal means and only allowing said length regulating signal to pass when it reaches said monitoring means before said standby signal; cutter actuating means associated with said splice detector means and said monitoring means which is initiated by signals from either of said associated means; and a rewind turret motor for positioning said rewind turret while said web is being rewound on one of said web cores.

5. A control system as defined in claim 4 wherein said web cutter actuating means actuates said cutter to perform two successive cuts when initiated by said splice detector signal and only one cut when initiated by a signal from said monitoring means.

6. A process for continually preparing web from large feed rolls into rewound individual web rolls which process comprises (A) issuing a standby signal as said feed roll diminishes and a depletion signal when said web feed roll is consumed; (B) splicing the web from a new supply roll on the trailing end of said consumed web; (C) detecting the passage of the splice joint to give a defect signal; (D) measuring the length of said web to give a signal upon passage of the pre-selected amount of web to be rewound; (E) blocking said measuring signal when said standby signal issues prior to said measuring signal; (P) cutting said web in response to said measuring signal and said defect signal said cut being responsive to the first of said signals to reach said cutter; and, (G) receiving the leading edge of said cut web on a revolving core for rewinding said web.

7. A process as defined in claim 6 where said rewind core is moved from the receiving position while said core is being rewound and an empty core is moved into the receiving position.

8. A process as-defined in claim 6 where said defect signal causes said cutter to make two successive cuttings to remove said splice joint.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1954 Whitson et al. 24256 8/1965 Ryan 24258.1 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING WEB MATERIAL HAVING WEB FEED MEANS FOR PROVIDING SUCCESSIVE WEB FEED ROLLS, SPLICING MEANS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID WEB, REWIND LENGTH REGULATING SIGNAL MEANS, DEFECT DETECTOR MEANS FOR SIGNALLING THE OCCURRENCE OF WEB DEFECTS, WEB CUTTING MEANS AND REWIND MEANS, THE IMPROVEMENT OF A CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH COMPRISES (A) MEANS FOR ISSUING A STANDBY SIGNAL FOR THE NEAR DEPLETION OF AN UNWINDING WEB ROLL; (B) MEANS FOR SIGNALLING THE DEPLETION OF SAID ROLL; (C) SPLICE ACTUATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID DEPLETION SIGNAL CAUSING THE NEW WEB TO BE SPLICED TO THE WEB FROM SAID DEPLETED ROLL; (D) MONITORING MEANS FOR RECEIVING BOTH SAID STANDBY AND A SIGNAL FROM SAID LENGTH REGULATING MEANS AND ONLY ALLOWING SAID LENGTH REGULATING MEANS SIGNAL TO PASS WHEN IT REACHES SAID MONITOR BEFORE SAID STANDBY SIGNAL; (E) WEB CUTTER ACTUATING MEANS CAPABLE OF BEING TRIGGERED BY SIGNALS FROM SAID DEFECT DETECTOR AND MONITORING MEANS WHICH EVER SIGNAL OCCURS FIRST; AND, (F) REWIND ACTUATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNALS FROM SAID DEFECT DETECTOR AND SAID MONITORING MEANS. 